5 Natural Ways to Decrease Stress

Stress is a normal feeling in your body.

But often it can feel uncomfortable.. even gain roller skates and dominate our being.

But with a little bit of understanding, you can master your stress levels. 

Stress is designed to keep you out of harms way and potentially save your life.

The stress response is a physical cascade of events that occur in your body, in response to a physical state,  perceived threat or emotion.

Stress triggers may include:

• Running late for an event

• Having a virus or cold

• Splitting up with a boyfriend

• Feeling worried you won’t make your financial commitments

• And even events such as Christmas and holidays…

It mostly boils down to our perception and how we “believe something will affect us” – either in a positive or negative way.  

Our brain collects lots of evidence over our life of “potential” and “actual” stress events so it can kick in at the sniff of stress.

This is why helping to manage stress, often necessitates addressing your unconscious beliefs.

Whilst we may believe that our stress response may save our life…

Often it cripples our joy and ability to relax in the current moment.

 Here are 5 ways you can stay on top of stress… naturally!

• Meditate

  This doesn’t need to be hard… Just 10 minutes every day will go a long way. I like an app called Head Space.   

  It is free for the first 10 days and people love using it. Meditation, reflection, sitting counting clouds, helps detox the brain of unwanted thoughts. It is like a way to cleanse the brain.

• Exercise

  Moving your body is critical for many things. We were designed to move not sit for hours on end infront of a computer. And when we do the later, stress catecholamines (adrenaline, cortisol   testosterone) can have negative affects in our body. We need to move our body regularly. A mixture of nature activities (hiking, walking at the beach), resistance exercises (weights, pilates,       yoga) and cardio (spin, running, swimming) are all great ways to help your body defuse stress.

• Avoid stimulants

  Commonly accepted stimulants such as sugars, coffee, weight loss supplements can all push your body into over drive. They will make it harder for you to “deal” with the stress response, so if you are prone to feel stress more than others, try cutting these out!

• Be clear on your values, who you really want to please and don’t worry about anyone else

  This is one of those life lessons that will hold you in great health and balance for years. I have many lessons on values on my face book page. Once you discover what you want in life, then work towards it, every day, stress often takes care of itself. There is no need when you feel on the right path.

• Eat a spectrum of coloured vegetables and proteins

  Food is the foundation of all balance. Eating a diet rich in organic, fresh colour foods means your body has to work less behind the scenes to maintain homeostasis (balance). Unfortunately many people short cut real food for convenience foods. The chemicals, the additives, require so much extra effort on behalf of your metabolism and body, that this in turn leads to a stressed body. A nice piece of free range meat, and a colourful salad trumps a fast food meal any day!

Other suggestions are keeping a gratitude diary, tapping (EFT), yoga and many more ….

I help people in 8 week  courses, manage their stress and extend the invitation to you.

For more ideas to reduce stress levels naturally then read this blog that I contributed to.

Life is for living.. not fearing!

Send me an email if you would like more information.